Brian D. Sweeney, 38, a resident of Barnstable and formerly of Spencer, died on September 11th 2001, aboard hijacked United Airlines Flight 175, which struck the south tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. He was the husband of Julie L. (Busa) Sweeney.
Mr. Sweeney was born in Worcester and lived most of his life in Spencer before moving to many locations with the Navy. He also lived in Marlborough for two years, and for the last two months in Barnstable.
He was a 1981 graduate of David Prouty High School in Spencer, where he was co-captain of the football team and on the track team. He received a football scholarship to Boston University, played on the varsity squad for four years and earned a bachelor's degree in mass communications in 1986. He received additional education in Navy postgraduate schools.
Mr. Sweeney was a lieutenant in the Navy and a Desert Storm veteran, protecting the no-fly zones. He was a radar intercepting officer aboard F-14 Tomcat fighter planes in the VF-211 "Bounty Hunters" squadron, serving on the USS Nimitz and USS Ranger aircraft carriers. He graduated at the head of his class at the Naval Officers Training School in Pensacola, Fla.
He was a staff instructor at the Navy's prestigious Fighter Weapons School in Miramar, Calif., from 1995 to 1996, and a staff member for the Tomcat Strike Fighter Weapons School in 1993.
He was also squadron avionics/weapons division officer from 1991 to 1993 and squadron weapons training/tactics development officer from 1993 to 1995.
He worked for a variety of private-sector aeronautical companies in recent years, including Lockheed Martin Corp., Spectratek Corp. and Horizons Technology. Since March, he was a systems consultant for the Department of Defense and aeronautics industry at Brandes Associates in Los Angeles.
Besides his wife of two years, he is survived by his parents, Leonard H. and Luise A. (Mulhall) Sweeney of Spencer; two brothers, Kevin F. Sweeney and John P. Sweeney, both of Spencer; a sister, Anne E. Sweeney of Spencer; his maternal grandmother, Rachel V. Demers of Spencer; and aunts and uncles.
Memorial donations may be made to the Brian D. Sweeney Fund, c/o Spencer Savings Bank, 176 Main St., Spencer, MA 01562.